Nowadays, angiography is used to image, diagnose, examine and treat the structure of the cardiovascular. In the process of the angiography, a catheter is inserted into the body of the patient, and a contrast agent is injected into the cardiovascular to be tested. Thus, the region in the patient, having the contrast agent injected, could be imaged by using an X-ray machine. Within the cardiovascular of the patient, as the X-ray passes through the region having the contrast agent, the X-ray is absorbed by the contrast agent. By this way, the image of the contrast agent in the vessel, i.e., the image of the interior of the vessel, could be shown on the screen of an X-ray machine clearly.
Generally, angiography is an essential technology for examining the cardiovascular of the patient. In addition to a tri-ring syringe, a manifold valve switch is also required in the process of the angiography. The manifold valve switch is arranged between the catheter and the tri-ring syringe. Wherein the manifold valve switch is an essential device for switching among a blood-pressure transducer, a saline supply and a contrast agent supply.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a known manifold valve switch. From left to right in FIG. 1, three switches are arranged, wherein the switch No. 1 is connected to the transducer, the switch No. 2 is connected to the saline supply, and the switch No. 3 is connected to the contrast agent supply. The left end of the manifold valve switch is connected to a high pressure pipe, and the right end of the manifold valve switch is connected to a syringe. Generally, in the process of the angiography, the following steps are performed:
Step (1) connecting the saline pipe to the switch No. 2;
Step (2) turning the switch No. 2 to the position A;
Step (3) turning the switch No. 3 to the position B, pulling the syringe back and filling the saline;
Step (4) turning the switch No. 2 to the position B;
Step (5) turning the switch No. 3 to the position A;
Step (6) pushing forward the syringe to exhaust the air in the switch No. 3;
Step (7) connecting the contrast agent pipe to the switch No. 3;
Step (8) turning the switch No. 3 to the position B;
Step (9) turning the switch No. 1 to the position A;
Step (10) pushing the syringe to exhaust the air in the switch No. 1 and connecting the pressure transducer to the switch No. 1;
Step (11) turning the switch No. 1 to the position B;
Step (12) connecting the high pressure pipe to the front end of the manifold valve switch; and
Step (13) pushing the syringe to exhaust the air in the front end of the manifold valve switch and the air in the high pressure pipe, and connecting with the catheter.
Wherein, Steps (1)-(13) are essential operations of exhausting the air in the initial setting.
Step (14) turning the switch No. 1 to the position C, for monitoring the signal of the blood pressure;
Step (15) turning the switch No. 3 to the position A, and pulling the syringe back, for drawing the contrast agent;
Step (16) turning the switch No. 1 to the position B, for protecting the transducer;
Step (17) turning the switch No. 2 to the position B;
Step (18) turning the switch No. 3 to the position B, and pushing the syringe, for injecting the contrast agent;
Step (19) turning the switch No. 1 to the position C, and connecting to the transducer, for monitoring the signal of the blood pressure; and
Step (20) turning the switch No. 3 to the position A, and connecting to the contrast agent supply for filling the contrast agent to be used in the next angiography.
Wherein, Steps (16)-(20) could be repeated for the next injection.
In the steps mentioned above, in the process of the angiography, the operator is required to used the syringe, at the same time, the operator is also required to turn these switches of the manifold valve switching device frequently. Thus, the known manifold valve switch is extremely inconvenient for the operator and might affect the security and the efficiency of the operation. Accordingly, there has grown up an urgent need of a new manifold valve for obviating the problems as mentioned above.